{"id":1418,"date":"2009-01-22T20:00:04","date_gmt":"2009-01-22T20:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/216.71.127.204\/wordpress\/?p=1418"},"modified":"2015-10-15T17:30:25","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T17:30:25","slug":"brett-dennan-warehouse-live-houston-tx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2009\/01\/22\/brett-dennan-warehouse-live-houston-tx\/","title":{"rendered":"Brett Dennan – Warehouse Live – Houston, TX"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
Written by Daniel Barker <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jan 22, 2009 at 08:00 PM<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"Image\"With eagerness to stay in tune, so to speak, with the ever-growing ITunes set, your reviewer headed over to the Warehouse Studio January 22nd willing to weather the impeding Generation Text storm sure to blow in with the arrival of Brett Dennen to our fair city\u2026The Rolling Stone\u2019s \u201c10 Artist to Watch\u201d nominee comes to Houston as the 5th stop on a 3 month US Tour..The \u201cHope for the Hopeless\u201d tour is the first major solo tour for the 28 year old Oakdale, CA native to support his third album of the same name released in October 2008 on Dualtone\u2026A far cry from being a mandolin player in the obscure Santa Cruz based \u201cMystic Bliss\u201d for sure\u2026<\/p>\n

Brett Dennen\u2019s remarkably unique songwriting perspective & voice caught my ear after falling into the rotation on local Pacifica DJ Larry Winter\u2019s Sat afternoon show \u201cSpare Change\u201d\u2026 The raw potential of songs like \u201cAin\u2019t No Reason\u201d and \u201cI Asked When\u201d begged for a full investigation\u2026I discovered a young, refreshing, six foot-four, lanky, Opie-faced singer-songwriter with talents that paralleled my Texas favorites of the same genre but with a left coast flavor & Music Without Borders open-mindedness that could take this philanthropic soul around the world making a positive impact\u2026<\/p>\n

However for the time being he appears pre-destined to be cropped into a Grey\u2019s Anatomy genre with the likes of Jason Mraz and John Mayer both of which he describes as friends. The former a fellow activist and co-writer on \u201cLong Road to Forgiveness\u201d and the latter which he opened several dates last year with Colbie Caillat one of which was 4th of July weekend in the Woodlands\u2026Brett\u2019s popularity soared when his work appeared on the fore-mentioned hit TV series as well as House and Scrubs sending the herd to get downloads and chat up the vast depth of social networking worlds in cyberspace\u2026BD has appeared on Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimbell and has recently released a video with Mandy Moore for the single \u201cMakes U Crazy\u201d and a live CD from Apple store performances while in Sydney\u2026Available only on ITunes of course\u2026<\/p>\n

On this date, BD had a Garland, Texas sweetheart opening the show \u2013 Erin McCarley..A petite girl with a strong sleepy voice that was all the buzz a SXSW this year… She is supporting her \u201cLove, Save the Empty\u201d release\u2026Now based out of Nashville unfortunately , she comes off as a white-washed version of a genre that your reviewer holds dear…A group of true female talents pimped modern Grand \u2018Ole Opry style by a doll up & dollar up approach. Leaving real fans picking up scraps for years after the mainstreet sweeper truck pushes them in the alley\u2026.An awkward treat was her cover of Suzanne Vega\u2019s \u201cTom\u2019s Diner\u201d with her keys player \u201cbeat-boxing\u201d ala The Fat Boys as to a growing crowd looking great and wanting to be seen..We wish her well\u2026<\/p>\n

BD made his way to the stage donning a hat covering his fire red mane kicking things off with \u201cDarlin\u2019 Do Not Fear\u201d often breaking into his interesting playing\/dance style that really compliments the eclectic sound his electric songs bring\u2026The sound was great, I think, I heard good parts in between the LOUD crowd packed into the Warehouse Studio by now.. The versatile band held steady and were capable of scorching solos when the rare occasion occurred. Let\u2019s be honest, BD is not much to look at but neither was Bob Dylan or Neil Young, two of his inspirations\u2026BD has talked about his gaining confidence in his unusual voice thru reading about what Neil Young went thru vocally in Buffalo Springfield before becoming the solo icon he is today\u2026<\/p>\n

The set list pulled material from all of BD\u2019s 3 CD releases..The patrons that paid for tickets and were actually watching the show were eager for the upbeat tunes of \u201cShe\u2019s Mine\u201d, \u201cMake You Crazy\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cWho Do You Think You Are\u201d, \u201cSan Francisco\u201d and \u201cCloser To You\u201d but even this group seemed to have temporary amnesia when Brett brought out his Martin acoustic forgetting they were at a live music show pushing the Blab-o-meter way up for his intimate tunes, \u201cNothing Last Forever\u201d,\u00a0 \u201cWhen She Is Gone\u201d, & \u201cAin\u2019t No Reason\u201d\u2026BD ended the set with \u201cHeaven\u201d, his \u201cImagine\u201d like songs that is a honorably anthem for his generation.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, the crowd used their strength to cheer BD back on stage for a 4 song encore which consisted of solo Brett\u2019s blab drowned\u00a0 acoustic\u00a0 for 2 and the full band back out for 2.. The night ended with the appropriate \u201cWorld Keeps Turnin\u201d \u2026 A sing along with a \u201chang in there\u201d message\u2026\u2026 \u201c<\/p>\n

Glad to see the \u201cin flesh\u201d version and happy to disregard some live performance doubt generated by some YouTube videos where BD seemed inconsistent.\u00a0 This reviewer will keep an eye on this artist. I hope Brett all the best with the multiple charities he supports with his celebrity\u2026I have to say, Houston, that I wish I could have made it to the La Zona Rosa show in Austin to be able to see and HEAR a solid singer-songwriter doing what he does best\u2026Keep supporting live music\u2026.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Daniel Barker Jan 22, 2009 at 08:00 PM With eagerness to stay in tune, so to speak, with the ever-growing ITunes set, your reviewer headed over to the Warehouse Studio January 22nd willing to weather the impeding Generation Text storm sure to blow in with the arrival of Brett Dennen to our fair… <\/p>\n

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